PSA: Kansas NOW to Host Counter Demonstration against Reverend Patrick Mahoney’s Christian Defence Coalition

by matttbastard

KS NOW press release:

The Kansas National Organization for Women will counter-protest the “prayer vigil” organized by the Christian Defense Coalition and Operation Rescue on Saturday, June 20th outside of Women’s Health Care Services located at 5107 E. Kellogg in Wichita.

Kansas NOW is disturbed that anti-choice activist Patrick Mahoney would plan such an event after stating in regards to Dr. Tiller’s murder, “No one should use this tragedy for political gain”.

State Coordinator Marla Patrick stated, “I am astounded at the sheer hypocrisy of the anti-choice groups. They are using Dr. Tiller’s murder as an opportunity to grandstand their extremist beliefs.  While they claim they will be praying for the end to abortion, I would recommend they pray for forgiveness. Their inflammatory rhetoric played a part in Dr. Tiller’s murder.” She also stated, “They routinely speak of blood on people’s hands. By the rules that they have set and claim to follow, it is very evident that they are the ones with blood on their hands.”

Marla Patrick

KS NOW State Coordinator

785-227-3854

785-212-0162

coordinator@ksnow.org

The hypocrisy of anti-choice groups is profound, and on Saturday we plan to hold signs demonstrating that.  We know there are many pro-choice activists and who would like to join us on Saturday, but can’t.  In spirit we are asking for you to submit your favorite hypocritical anti-choice quote by anti-choice leaders and sponsor a protest sign for a $5 donation to KS NOW.

http://www.ksnow.org/KS_NOW/Counter_Demonstration.html

Please feel free to post and pass around.

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PSA: Support the Uniting American Families Act of 2009

by matttbastard

Immigration Equality:

Great News! Rep. Jerrold Nadler plans to reintroduce the Uniting American Families Act on Feb. 13!

You can make the bill a success by convincing your Representative to support the bill from Day One. Reintroducing the bill with as many cosponsors as possible will show powerful momentum for the rights of gay and lesbian binational couples!

Please call your Representative and ask them to be an original cosponsor of the “Uniting American Families Act of 2009”

It’s easy!

1. Find out who your U.S. House Representative is.  Go to http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm, enter your address, and you will be provided the name of your U.S. Representative.
2. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask to be connected to your U.S. Representative.
3. Tell your representative’s staff:

I am calling to ask Representative ________________ to be an original cosponsor of the Uniting American Families Act of 2009.  To cosponsor, he/she must contact Rep. Jerrold Nadler who is the lead sponsor.

The U.S. government discriminates against gay and lesbian binational couples by not allowing us to sponsor our foreign-born life partners for immigration.  Because of this, we face the terrible choice of separating from the person we love or leaving our country.  As Americans, we should not have to choose between family and country.  Please ask Rep. _________________ to cosponsor the Uniting American Families Act of 2009 by reaching out to Rep. Nadler before February 12.

Thanks for asking your member of Congress to celebrate love this Valentine’s Day by cosponsoring UAFA!

h/t Sarah J

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New Project: #rebelleft on Twitter, Tumblr

guest post by Sylvia/M

Use hashtag #rebelleft on Twitter to spread news, updates, and commentary.

About #rebelleft on Twitter:

1. The service only works if you have a public Twitter account (free to start and use).  If you don’t, and there’s news you’d like to spread, simply ask for a retweet.
2. All issues, news stories, commentaries, and updates from the left are welcome.  When tweeting a link or an opinion, simply append #rebelleft to the end of your message and you’re set!
3. You can follow #rebelleft tweets via the Twitter Search Page.   There is also a Rebel Left Tumblr page that aggregates all #rebelleft tweets and news links.
4. Spread the word! Feel free to post the picture above on your blog, linking to the Twitter Search Page, or use this smaller badge: Link to this post or copy-paste it onto your blog to alert fellow bloggers, activists, and Twitterers about #rebelleft.

x-posted @ Problem Chylde

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PSA: A call for action on trans rights in Tennessee

by matttbastard

Via The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition:

For Immediate Release: Dated December 27, 2008

Another Transgender Woman Shot in Memphis

On Christmas Eve, a Memphis television station reported the shooting of Leeneshia Edwards in Memphis. She becomes the third transgender woman shot in Memphis in just six months. At last report, Leeneshia is in critical condition. We extend our hopes and prayers to Leenashia for a speedy recovery.

We also ask for anyone with any information about this latest crime to call Memphis Crimes Stoppers at (901)528-CASH.

The shooting of Leeneshia Edwards helps shed light on a disturbing trend in Memphis. Transgender women who work in the sex industry in order to survive are now being targeted by a pervasive culture of violence.

The indifferent attitude of law enforcement towards the February 16, 2006, murder of Tiffany Berry, and the February 12, 2008, beating of Duanna Johnson by Memphis Police Department officers, has sent a message that the lives of transgender people are not important. This has fed the culture of violence that has permeated the second half of 2008, and is exemplified by the July 1 murder of Ebony Whitaker, the July 28 murder of Dre-Ona Blake, a two year old girl who was killed by the man who had previously been charged with the murder of Tiffany Berry, but was allowed to walk free for two and a half years, the November 9 murder of Duanna Johnson, and now the shooting of Leeneshia Edwards.

This open season on transgender people in Memphis and elsewhere, regardless of whether or not they engage in sex work, must come to an end right now.

We call on business people who refuse to hire transgender people to open their doors immediately to transgender workers so there are alternatives to working on the streets.

We call on shelters that routinely turn away transgender people who are seeking help, to open their doors so that transgender people do not have to live on the streets.

We call on religious leaders who preach intolerance towards crossdressers and transsexuals from the pulpit to cease immediately and begin preaching messages of love and acceptance of diversity.

We call on political leaders of all parties to stop campaigning against transgender people and start supporting fully inclusive employment non-discrimination and hate crimes legislation to show that the lives of transgender people have value.

Marisa Richmond
President

The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC) is an organization designed to educate and advocate on behalf of transgender related legislation at the Federal, State and local levels. TTPC is dedicated to raising public awareness and building alliances with other organizations concerned with equal rights legislation.

For more information, or to make a donation, contact:

Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC)
P.O. Box 92335
Nashville, TN 37209
http://ttgpac.com
TTGPAC@aol.com
(615)293-6199
(615)353-1834 fax

h/t Cara by way of Queen Em.

Related: More on Leeneshia Edwards from Em and Monica Roberts

Update: Renee, bumped from comments:

What bothers me most about this is the way in which these acts of violence and murders are ignored. When I wrote about this issue I focused on the race aspect. Trans women of color are being targeted. At remembering our dead over 65% of the women listed are of color. I want to know where the hell the NAACP is. I want to know where the hell NOW is. When are we going to decide that these women matter?

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PSA: Vote for Joey Shithead!

by matttbastard

Via Frank Frink:

As you may or may not be aware, it’s the province of British Columbia’s 150th birthday! The Vancouver Sun newspaper has conducted an online poll and produced a list of B.C.’s 150 most influential people of all time. By reader’s choice, Canada’s punk rock godfather Joey Shithead Keithley has been voted onto the list.

Now we are asking you to kick it up a notch and vote Joe into B.C.’s top 10. The voting is open till December 22nd 2008. Imagine the look on the faces of those fat cats like the publisher of the Vancouver Sun if Joe got in there. A punk rocker making history in B.C… the world has changed.

Here’s how to vote:
Click on the link below and select Joey Keithley from the list. Then hit submit. That’s it.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/features/spiritofbc/vote_new.html

Vote once, vote often… there are many fine candidates (some evil ones too)!

• It’s B.C.’s 150th Anniversary!
• Joey Keithley of D.O.A. voted in as one of B.C.’s most influential citizens
• Vote Joe into the top 10
• Voting ends December 22nd

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PSA: Accountability for Musharraf and a Restoration of the November 2nd Judiciary

by matttbastard

Via Teeth Maestro:

People’s Resistance
Press Release – 18 August 2008

People’s Resistance attributes the resignation of retired General Pervez Musharraf as President of Pakistan to the long and untiring struggle of the Lawyers, students, civil society organizations and political groups. The civil society and media’s struggle against the arbitrary rule of General Musharraf forced the ruling democratic coalition to start the process of impeachment that eventually led to his resignation.

Though we celebrate his resignation, we call for the fair trial of General Musharraf for the long list of crimes against the people of Pakistan including removal of judiciary, abrogating the constitution, forced disappearances, torture and deaths in custody of citizens especially from Baluchistan, and for killing people in Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

In this vein the People’s Resistance demands the immediate restoration of the judiciary to its November 02 composition, as it was before the promulgation of the PCOs suspending the constitution.

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PSA: Protest against transphobia and sex worker oppression

by matttbastard

Via Shameless:

The Maitland Homewood Safety Association [of Toronto] is waging a campaign to rid their neighbourhood of trans sex workers. Every Friday and Saturday starting at 11pm the Association goes out armed with flashlights to [harass] the women working in the neighbourhood. There have been some reports that the members of the Association have physically assaulted transwomen.

If you care about the rights of trans and sex working women to be free of harassment and nimbyism (which you should) and are free this Friday, then join us Friday August 15th at 11pm at Homewood and Maitland to show our support to the women in the neighbourhood, as well as to send a clear message to the Homewood-Maitland Safety Association that violence and harassment against trans women will not be tolerated.

PLEASE NOTE: Organizers of this event are being targeted by this group, we need as many people there as possible to ensure our safety. For more info on the [Association’s] transphobia please check out http://splinterjete.livejournal.com/78658.html
and
http://spocgirl.braveblog.com/entry/27765

Facebook event listing here, more on the MHSA here.

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PSA: Carnival for Progressive Christians

by matttbastard

The inaugural edition of the Carnival for Progressive Christians is up over @ A Secret Chord; lots of good posts riffing on the theme of community from a number of dedicated progressive bloggers who also happen to heart teh Jeebus.  Now, JFTR, I broke up with the man from Nazareth a looong time ago–but we won’t get into the gory details of my apostasy.  Bottom line: Purtek and Philomela have compiled an awesome compendium of bloggerrific awesomeness that will hopefully become a regular event.

h/t Daisy

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PSA: Day of Blogs 2008

by matttbastard

Cara of The Curvature and Feministe is participating in today’s Day of Blogs blogathon. RAINN is the very worthy organization that is benefiting from her tireless efforts.  Go check it out–Cara will be updating every 30 minutes until 9am EDT Sunday morning.

(Full list of participants here.)

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PSA: Support Dr. Henry Morgentaler’s Order of Canada Appointment

by matttbastard

Via Fern Hill (who yoinked it from Stacey May @ Shameless):

The Governor General is getting a flood of mail and calls from anti-choice forces. Please tell her how much you appreciate the courageous decision by her and the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada to award Dr. Henry Morgentaler the Order of Canada. Here is the contact information:

E-mail: info@gg.ca
Phone: 613-993-8200
Toll-free: 1-800-465-6890
Fax: 613-998-8760

Mail: Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
Governor General of Canada
Rideau Hall
1 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A1

Thank you very much!

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